Tee Time: Par-3 courses are faster, out of the box

Published: Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 3:20 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 3:20 p.m.

For the past several years, the PGA Tour has been one of the organizations promoting many initiatives to help grow the game of golf.

In 2013, the PGA of America and the USGA jointly supported and began to promote a “Time for Nine” campaign, along with Golf Digest magazine.

Following this same theme, in February 2014, PGA commissioner Tim Finchem announced that the Champions Tour Legends of Golf would incorporate a par-3 course for the first time in an official competition.

The event was held last weekend at the spectacular, par-3, Top of the Rock Golf Course in Ridgedale, Missouri, near Branson.

Top of the Rock is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, that accompanies an Arnold Palmer-designed practice facility and a Tom Watson designed putting course.

In interviews promoting the event, Jack Nicklaus said that “we’re at an important juncture in the evolution of our game. We need to embrace innovation, new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking that inspires people to get off the couch and play this great game. We need to think in terms of shorter, faster and more fun.”

Tom Watson added “families and kids barely have time to consider golf. But a nine-hole, par-3 course is a perfect option to get started in the game.”

During Finchem’s announcement in February, he said “we believe the inclusion of this dramatic short course will demonstrate to a time-crunched world that par-3 golf is fun, entertaining, and a worthy alternative for golfers.”

If Mr. Nicklaus thinks that par-3 courses are “out-of-the-box thinking” in 2014, what would he have thought about Flaughn Lamb’s Orchard Trace undertaking in 1993?

<p>For the past several years, the PGA Tour has been one of the organizations promoting many initiatives to help grow the game of golf.</p><p>In 2013, the PGA of America and the USGA jointly supported and began to promote a “Time for Nine” campaign, along with Golf Digest magazine.</p><p>Following this same theme, in February 2014, PGA commissioner Tim Finchem announced that the Champions Tour Legends of Golf would incorporate a par-3 course for the first time in an official competition.</p><p>The event was held last weekend at the spectacular, par-3, Top of the Rock Golf Course in Ridgedale, Missouri, near Branson.</p><p>Top of the Rock is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, that accompanies an Arnold Palmer-designed practice facility and a Tom Watson designed putting course.</p><p>In interviews promoting the event, Jack Nicklaus said that “we're at an important juncture in the evolution of our game. We need to embrace innovation, new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking that inspires people to get off the couch and play this great game. We need to think in terms of shorter, faster and more fun.”</p><p>Tom Watson added “families and kids barely have time to consider golf. But a nine-hole, par-3 course is a perfect option to get started in the game.”</p><p>During Finchem's announcement in February, he said “we believe the inclusion of this dramatic short course will demonstrate to a time-crunched world that par-3 golf is fun, entertaining, and a worthy alternative for golfers.”</p><p>If Mr. Nicklaus thinks that par-3 courses are “out-of-the-box thinking” in 2014, what would he have thought about Flaughn Lamb's Orchard Trace undertaking in 1993?</p>